Supporting our staff
NDS is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and students.
The department takes everyone’s health and well-being seriously and we’re lucky that the University offers a wide range of services which we encourage you to investigate.
You should make sure that your work station is set up correctly to avoid injury, and perhaps have a look at more general lifestyle advice for health and much more on the University's Occupational Health Service website.
Health & Safety
Please make sure you visit our NDS Health and Safety pages (SSO required) for more information on what to do in an emergency, who your key contacts are, the health and safety induction and much more.
The Safety Office supports the University in its strategic aim of delivering high standards of health and safety management. You can also find information on the correct use of personal protective equipment on the link provided.
For non-emergency enquiries, please contact Departmental Safety Officer, Adam Lambert or the Divisional Safety Officer.
Sickness Reporting
If you are unable to attend work due to sickness, you should inform your Line Manager and the HR team as soon as possible, but no later than 15 minutes before you start work on your first day of absence.
If you are absent through sickness for up to seven calendar days, you will be asked by the HR team to complete a self-certification form on your return to work.
If you are absent from work because of sickness for more than seven calendar days, you should obtain a Fit Note from your GP, a copy of which should be sent to the HR team as soon as possible.
Please note that after all absences a return to work meeting with your Line Manager is strongly encouraged, to enable an open discussion on any support requirements that may be required.
Please inform the HR team of any agreed adjustments.
Departmental Culture
The Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences and The University of Oxford has a zero tolerance approach to harassment and bullying; and are fully committed to supporting individuals who feel they have been, or are being, harassed or bullied.
The department is dedicated to maintaining a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all members of the University community are respected. This includes staff, students, and visitors.
Any formal complaints will be taken seriously and may lead to disciplinary action of those involved. You can find information on the University of Oxford Harassment Advice and the NDS Bullying and Harassment Advisers on the links provided.
Staff Wellbeing
NDS is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and students. Our policies and practices support that commitment and we hope that the following resources will be useful to you during your time with us.
NDS Health and Wellbeing Webpage
Mental Health First Aid
Home-working and Wellbeing Resources
University Mental Health Resources
Free Counselling available to staff (PDF)
Occupational Health
Staff Wellbeing Programme: Thriving at Oxford
Health Assured – Employee Assistance Programme
If you have any further questions then please contact the HR team.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
NDS takes an intersectional approach to equality, diversity and inclusion (SSO required) by creating a working and learning environment.
Our EDI Committee undertakes the implementation of our Athena Swan action plan and works to identify and address inequities that exist in our department. We monitor our staff and student data and run regular surveys to consult our staff on how we can do better.
We believe in giving staff regular opportunities to voice issues and participate in problem-solving. NDS has hosted a series of events and discussions on equality, diversity and inclusion, including our discussion of Picture a Scientist and inequities in research, as well as our NDS Race Forum.
We are committed to supporting career development in our staff. The NDS Training Fund (SSO required) is available to any member of staff to fund external training and has been used by 24 staff in the last five years. We also created a new fund for researchers whose careers had been stagnated by the pandemic, with 80% of successful applicants being women.
Athena Swan
The Athena SWAN Awards recognise success in developing employment practices to further and support the careers of women in academia. Within NDS, we feel that we have an established culture of equality and are using the Athena SWAN process to spur on-going improvement that benefits everyone in the Department.
The Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences holds a departmental Athena SWAN Silver award in recognition of its efforts to introduce organisational and cultural practices that promote gender equality and create a better working environment for both men and women.
You can find out more about the University’s policy on Equality and Diversity on the link provided.
RECOGNISE MENTORING SCHEME
RECOGNISE is an interdepartmental mentoring scheme (SSO required) with NDS and the Department of Oncology, that aims to support you in your professional development journey and career transition points. It also offers you the opportunity to have access to a mentor/mentee from outside of your home department, should you wish to engage in mentoring with someone independent to your usual working environment.
The aim of the scheme is to support staff in identifying problems and solutions, defining goals and deciding on next steps. Issues may include: direction; influence; dealing with change; confidence; working relationships; transitions; work-life balance. You can find further information on the RECOGNISE handbook or by contacting our Mentoring team.
Training & Development
Why not see what's on at the below (SSO required for the majority of courses):
People and Organisational Development (POD)
The Centre for Teaching and Learning
Or visit our NDS Training & Development intranet page.
Staff Networks and Trade Unions
Please follow the links below to find out more about the University staff networks and trade unions:
University of Oxford Newcomers' Club
NDS Representative: Dimitrios Doultsinos
Medical Sciences Division networks
Trade unions: UCU (University and Colleges Union), UNISON, Unite